Yumnam Khemchand Set to Become Manipur Chief Minister as BJP Picks New Leader
Yumnam Khemchand elected BJP leader in Manipur, set to become Chief Minister after President's Rule ends.
Manipur MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh has been elected as the Leader of the BJP Legislature Party, paving the way for the formation of a new government in the state. The development comes as President’s Rule in Manipur approaches its one-year mark on February 13, signaling a major political transition in the border state.
The decision was finalised after a meeting of BJP MLAs from Manipur and leaders of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by BJP central observer Tarun Chugh and the party’s northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, following consultations aimed at restoring an elected government.
Party sources described the 61-year-old Khemchand as a non-polarising and consensus-driven leader, acceptable across internal factions during a sensitive phase. Seen as a steady administrator rather than a mass mobiliser, he is expected to bring organisational discipline and stability amid prolonged political uncertainty.
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Manipur’s 60-member Assembly has remained in suspended animation since President’s Rule was imposed in February 2025. The BJP currently holds a majority with 37 MLAs, including five who defected from the Janata Dal (United). Other members include MLAs from the NPP, NPF, Congress, Kuki People’s Alliance, independents, and one vacant seat due to an MLA’s death.
Yumnam Khemchand represents the Singjamei constituency in Imphal West district. He served as a cabinet minister in the second N Biren Singh-led government from 2022 until President’s Rule was imposed, handling key portfolios such as municipal administration, rural development, panchayati raj, and education.
A seasoned legislator, Khemchand also served as Speaker of the Manipur Assembly from 2017 to 2022 and is known within the BJP for his grassroots organisational skills. A former businessman and trained Taekwondo player, he was recently honoured by the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation in South Korea, underscoring a career marked by discipline both in public life and beyond.
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